Why Doesn't My License Certificate Work?

The basics:

First be certain you have located and named the certificate file correctly. Place the file in the same folder as either CSecSrv.exe or CometSrv.NLM, depending on which you are using to handle your product security. The file must be named "license.txt". Be careful with this as it's easy on some Windows systems to mistakenly end up with it named "license.txt.txt".
This can happen if you have checked "Hide file extensions for known file types" in the "View" properties of "Folder Options" in Windows Explorer.

Next look at the display for the security program for any error messages. If using CSecSrv.exe, you should see a progression of messages describing the location and validation of the certificate. Make sure that the plug number displayed matches the one on the certificate and that the build date of the version of Comet you are trying to load is prior to the "good thru" date. A successful validation will look like this:

Located licensing certificate file.

Validating license.txt file for plug 12345678...

Using "License.txt" Certificate good thru 4/30/2004.

Make sure you are running a version of the Security Server or NLM that supports the version of the certificate you have been issued. The format of the certificate changes as new products are added. Certificates issued after September 25, 2003 will include a message such as:
Certificate version 3 - only for use with Security Server 3.06 or higher.
You can see this message if you open the license.txt file in a text editor.

If using the Security Server for your product security:

At the top of the dialog, click on "View", then "In Use" to display the "Product License Information" window. Check to be sure you have the expected number of licenses for each product.
If you will be accessing type "C" directories on another machine or type "S" directories be sure your certificate includes file server licenses.

If you are a Comet Subscriber and want all the benefits of such you must use version 3.06 or higher of CSecSrv.exe.

If you are trying to secure the COM product you must use version 3.06 or higher of CSecSrv.exe.

Beginning with Comet .327 you may use the Security Server to secure the NLM file system. If you want to do this, it is highly recommended that you use version 3.06 or higher of CSecSrv.exe. Older versions will secure the NLM properly, but do not include the bucket counts in their display.

If using the NLM for your product security:

Look at the CometSrv.NLM screen and verify that you have the expected number of licenses for each product.
If you will be accessing type "S" directories be sure your certificate includes file server licenses.

If you are trying to run a version of Comet newer than .326 you must use version 3.06 or higher of CometSrv.NLM. This is because newer versions of Comet secure the NLM file system as a separate product, just as it has always done with CSecSrv.exe. Older NLMs don't allow this and did their file system security at DirAdd time instead.

If you are using the NIC for your security rather than a dongle, you must use a startup option of
/G when you load cometsrv.

If you are a Comet Subscriber and want all the benefits of such you must use the Security Server rather than the NLM for your product security.

If you are trying to use the COM product, you must use the Security Server rather than the NLM to do your product security. We do not intend to add this product or any future products to the security system provided by the NLM.